A/N Just wanted to offer more thanks to all of you who have read reviewed followed and favorited. Hope you continue to enjoy this story.
"Henry." Cora smiled at the child, circling around him like a predator eying her pray. "How dreadfully sentimental of my daughter."
"You're… you're Regina's mother?" Henry asked fearfully.
"Oh, Henry, there is no need to be frightened of me. I'm sure my daughter's stories about me have been greatly exaggerated." She stopped circling but he inched away as she approached. "Anything I've done it I did because it was what was best for the people I care about. I'm sure you understand what I mean?"
Henry thought back to all the things he'd done to get Emma to Storybrooke and how it might look to an outsider. He'd stolen a credit card from his teacher to get to Boston then actually threatened to tell police that Emma had kidnapped him if she didn't go with him to Maine. Then just this past week he used he mom's desperation for his affection to steal from her and left her alone in a town that hates her.
What have I done he thought to himself? 'But I had to break the curse' he tried to validate his actions but the guilt started to make him feel sick and the look Cora was giving him didn't help. She looked proud.
"I see you have concerns about actions you have chosen." Cora placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "But rest easy, making hard choices for the good of others, it is what a leader does."
"But… but I…"
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"How was you're visit with Snow?" Daniel asked as their horses came to a stop at the river.
"Very good, she's such a sweet child." The words brought a pain to her chest, which almost felt like guilt. Yet why should she feel guilty, it was she who had saved the girl from a runaway horse when they had first met and they had been friendly ever since. Why did she keep having to remind herself of that?
"She tells me she's improved with her riding. " Regina spoke again to fill the awkward silence.
"Perhaps the three of us could ride together." Daniel offered.
"I would like that very much." The idea seemed like a family activity, the three of them together. Of course she knew Snow wasn't her daughter but still Regina would like a child.
"You would make a wonderful mother." Daniel told Regina as if reading her thoughts.
"Really? You think so?"
"I know so."
"Yes," Regina allowed herself to imagine.
"A little girl like Snow."
"I could read him stories, teach him how to ride –"
"You mean her." Daniel questioned.
"Of course, her… but a boy would be nice too."
Daniel smiled then kicked his horse onward. Regina followed quickly after, but as she rode she missed a child that she never had.
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Waiting for the potion was trying for all of them, none of the members of the Charming family were content to just sit and wait, they were people of action, but they had no other options. Emma was especially agitated having not left the mayoral mansion since arriving hours ago and she was past the point of being stir crazy. At one point Snow, half jokingly suggested that Emma and Charming should practice sword fighting outside. They had both looked at each other then back at Snow before continuing to pace.
When the Blue Fairy walked through the doorway Emma all but tackled her. The blonde grabbed the vial from the other woman's hands preparing to chug it right there.
"Emma wait!" Snow demanded stopping her daughter before the vial had made it to her lips.
"We don't have time to wait." Emma responded equally forceful.
Snow gave the blonde a glare that only a mother could and Emma relented. Then turning her glare to her husband. "She get's her impulsiveness from you, you know."
"Hey," Was the only defense Charming could muster because it was a trait the two of them shared.
Snow then turned her attention back to the Blue Fairy. "First we should make sure she is who she appears to be. So, tell us something only you would know."
Not quite understanding the request Blue explained how during the final council meeting before the dark curse took over she had lied and said that the wardrobe had the power to transport only one because she had made a deal with Pinocchio's father.
"I'm sorry, Cora had previously assumed your form and we had to be sure you were who you appeared to be and that was not poisoned." Snow gestured to the vile still clutched in Emma's hand and gave her daughter another disapproving glare.
Blue nodded, "It was quite right of you to do so your majesty."
Emma merely grumbled that it had been her idea first but none of the other three seemed to hear. "So this is gonna work right?" She asked loudly.
"It will take you into her mind, after that it is up to you," The Blue Fairy told her.
"So I just drink it, go in tell Regina she's under some spell and then she wakes up?"
"Essentially, but it may not be so easy to convince her she is trapped by a spell, and even if you do she may still not want to wake up."
"Why?"
"It's the lotus curse." Blue responded as if that explained everything. "It's a literal dream world."
"Emma…" Snow took her daughter arm and nodded toward the Blue Fairy who took her leave. "When Regina gave me that apple, the one she had planned to feed you, it had a curse on it too. It put me into a sleep from which I could not wake until freed by True Love's kiss."
"Yeah, I've heard the story." Emma stated dismissively.
"But what you might not know it that while I was asleep all my head was filled with was my mistakes and regrets, all the worst moments and fears of my life playing constantly. This curse is quite the opposite, it will create her dream, and a dream is a wish your heart makes -"
"Please, do not break out into song. I can not handle that right now."
"Emma," Snow shook her head.
"So what? Like she'll be the evil overlord with subjects to maniacally bend to her will?" Emma asked sarcastically. "I mean that's was everyone thinks she wants."
"What do you think she wants?" Snow asked genuinely curious.
"I don't know… I mean cursing everyone to some small town in Maine was a pretty jerk thing to do but it could have been a lot worse."
Snow nodded remembering a Regina few had ever known "Just remember that in there she will have everything she thinks she wants and… well out here she's very much alone and half of the town is still calling for her blood."
"And what about you?" Emma looked at her father. The tone had not been accusatory but she remembered Charming's words at the sheriff's station when he'd been willing to give her up to the Wraith.
"I was wrong and we need her." He admitted.
"Ok then…" Emma picked up the vial again then said dryly "to my health."
